Lufthansa cancels flights to India after govt proposes more curbs

India formalised an air bubble with Germany in July 2020. An air bubble arrangement allows nationals of both the countries to travel in either direction

Lufthansa has cancelled all its flights to India till October 20 after the Ministry of Civil Aviation rejected its application to operate 20 flights per week.

India formalised an air bubble with Germany in July. An air bubble allows nationals of both countries to travel in either direction. 

While Air India has been operating three-four weekly flights to Frankfurt, Lufthansa is operating 20 flights to Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru. The German airline also wanted to operate flights to Chennai in its October schedule.

“In spite of this disparity, we offered to clear seven flights a week for Lufthansa, which was not accepted by them. Negotiations continue between both sides,” an official of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said.

“Lufthansa sincerely urges the Indian authorities to work together with the German government in order to establish a temporary travel agreement between both countries. Such an agreement is necessary to address the urgent need of tens of thousands of Indians and foreign nationals for travel to and from India and would also help balance the interests of both countries’ airlines,” an airline spokesperson said.

Executives of foreign airlines complain that the Indian government is placing curbs by restricting flights and nationalities of those who can travel. 

“Passenger loads are already poor and these restrictions would make operating flights to India unviable,” an executive said.